Getting Our Kicks: Part Two

I’ve been sharing a recent trip my family and I took to New Mexico, where we took in a lot of Route 66 sites. You can catch up on part one here. Today, I’m going to pick up where we left off…entering into to Texas.

Now most people are familiar with two Route 66 stops in Texas; the Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan Steak House. I’m sad to say that we did not stop at The Big Texan, Mr. B may have shed a single tear as we drove on by. It was my birthday, so I probably should have chosen my dinner to be at the Big Texan (not the 72oz challenge though…I can’t imagine doing that and getting back in the car for a long drive!), but I really wanted some New Mexican food.

Our first stop in Texas was in Shamrock at the Conoco Tower. This beautifully preserved historical gas station was worth the stop. It was pretty cool to look at, but the reason it was a winner in our book is because Little B is a HUGE Cars fan.

You see it? It’s said to be the inspiration for Ramones and they have a ton of Cars memorabilia for sale inside.

The next stop was the Leaning Water Tower in Groom. This stop got a big ol’ eye roll from Mr. B. BUT, it didn’t take long and these kinds of kooky stops are exactly what I was hoping to encounter on our trip. We did snap a shot of me and Little B trying to “hold up” the tower, but that was an epic fail!

Also, in Groom is the very large cross. When I say large, I’m not exaggerating. You can see this thing from miles away. This stop is beautiful and serene, loaded with religious monuments and statues. It is well worth your visit.

We headed on to one of our Route 66 highlights, the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. This is public art where Cadillac’s are buried, nose-down, in the dirt. Over the years (the art installation was in 1974), people have come to deface the cars and rip off pieces as souvenirs. More than that, it’s encouraged. You can bring your own can of spray paint, but unfortunately the field is littered with them. We picked up a couple of near empty cans and Little B left his artistic mark…at least temporarily. They say so many people come to this location that your mark will only be visible for a few hours. There were so, so many people there and from all over. It’s easy to access and lots of places to park.

This stop ended our Texas Route 66 treasures and we crossed into New Mexico. The next time we do this trip we will be checking these stops out: